Birmingham man who built two-storey house on driveway instead of a garage is told to tear it down

A brash homeowner who built a tiny house in a driveway without a building permit has been ordered by a council to tear the building down.

The resident – a Mr M Singh – had originally been given permission to build a single storey garage in their semi-detached house in Vaughton Street, Birmingham.

But council bosses were shocked to discover that a small, two-storey detached family home had been built at the end of the driveway.

The owner was ordered to demolish the pint-sized property after an appeal, arguing there were only “minor differences” from what had been approved.

He was given until July to demolish the new building as it violated the original building permit – but it still stands today.

Originally, a planning application was submitted for a single-storey garage in the driveway. But a two-storey building has been built instead

A Google Streetview image of the property in 2009 before the garage building application was submitted

The original plans presented to Birmingham City Council appeared to show that a traditional garage was being built

A woman who opened the door at the address Monday declined to comment when approached.

But a neighbor, who declined to be named, said, “We assumed they had permission in the first place.

“I think they built it for an older relative who comes in and out quite often.

‘You’re never happy to see an extension or new construction blocking the sunlight or replacing gardens and trees, but that’s just what people do.

“But if it had only been allowed to be a garage, I don’t understand how they thought they would ever get away with it. It is clearly a house.

“How on earth they wanted that to pass for a garage, only God knows.”

In 2009, an application was approved for a single story garage with a footprint of 17.4 ft by 15.2 ft with a height of 11.8 ft.

Inspector Thomas Shields, appointed by the Secretary of State, wrote in his planning report in March: ‘It is considerably larger than the approved building. It’s no small difference.

Neighbors thought the homeowners had been given permission to build the micro-properties, with someone saying the house appeared to have been built for an elderly resident

Inspector Thomas Shields, appointed by the Secretary of State, wrote in his planning report in March: ‘It is considerably larger than the approved building. It’s no small difference.’

‘Compared to the approved garage, the appealing building has a footprint of approximately 8.7m x 4.7m and a height of 5.3m.

“Instead of a garage door, there’s a wicket door to the front room and a tripartite bay window. Two more windows in the rear facade serve as a separate, smaller room.

‘Instead of being on the ground floor, the appealing building is 1.5 storeys and has two rooms in the roof, facilitated by a box roof that extends almost over the full width.

“All these differences, between what has been approved and what has been built, are not small. As the appealing building bears little resemblance to the scale and design of the approved single-storey garage, it does not benefit from that planning permission.

“The demands of the announcement are: demolish the entire unauthorized detached structure and remove all demolished building materials and debris from the property.”

News of the building’s construction has been met with mixed reactions from Birmingham residents.

On social media, one woman said, “It’s good for them. Such people really think that the law does not apply to them! You apply for a garage of a certain size, get it granted and then build a 2 story mini house?? Joke.’

Another said the tiny property couldn’t stand, adding: “If he gets to keep it, it makes a mockery of all the people who wanted to do something better or bigger, but couldn’t because they had to abide by the rules.” building regulations.’

But others were more understanding of the situation, with one woman blaming the bureaucracy surrounding the planning application process, adding, “If it doesn’t get in anyone’s way, he should be allowed to leave it.”

While another added: ‘I don’t see a problem with it, just hateful bitter people in the comments who just love to see someone’s downfall, we need housing let alone tear it down, if it’s safe to move in living, I see no problem.’

A Birmingham City Council said it was serving the enforcement notice for the demolition of the ‘unauthorized structure’ when ‘the owner lost his appeal’, with a spokesman saying the authority was in ‘discussion’ with the owner about when the building would be closed. to be interrupted .